The Ugly Duckling
by Kram Nebuer
Summary: A bookish boy (Percy). His opposite friend (Oliver). The cute girl with blonde curls (Penny). A talkative Lovegood (Virginia). A school of magic. This is their story.
1. First Meetings

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Title: The Ugly Duckling (May change)

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Summary: Percy Weasley begins his first year at Hogwarts School. He finds his eyes are focusing on more than just books when his total opposite Oliver Wood introduces him to his mother's friend's blonde-curly haired daughter.

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Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with the Harry Potter series, publishers, or author. This story is strictly for entertainment purposes only and is not intended for profit.

"Bill, your badge is covered in fingerprints," Mrs. Weasley said, taking out a handkerchief and polishing the badge that read Head Boy, pinned to his chest.

"Well, if Percy would stop touching it…" Bill replied, giving a menacing glare at his little brother.

"It's just so wonderful! I really hope I become Head Boy when I'm in my 7th year," Percy said, in awe of his older brother.

"Don't worry, Percy, dear. I'm sure you'll at least make Prefect when you're older," Mrs. Weasley said, giving a final swipe at Bill's Badge. "Head Boy is a wonderful goal to work towards."

"Listen to me, Percy," Charlie, another older brother, said, looking down at the young boy, "Prefects are no fun at all. All they do is preach the rules and give out detentions."

"Not only that, but it's a great honor," Mrs. Weasley said. "Oh, here comes a crowd, boys. You should go through now. The twins and I will foll- now where did they go?"

"We're already through, slowpokes!" One of them said as he stuck a red head out of the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10.

"Honestly! You two!" Mrs. Weasley said rushing to them, hoping no Muggles saw. She pushed through the wall just as a large mass of suited men, all with the same black leather briefcase, rushed by.

"Now's our chance," Charlie said, nudging Percy. Percy and Charlie pushed their luggage trolley through the mass and soon were through the barrier and at Platform 9 and 3/4. Bill soon appeared, just as the Hogwarts Express Train arrived at the station. There weren't many other wizards and witches at the platform.

"There aren't many wizards of witches here," one of the twins said. 

"What's so interesting about Hogwarts if NOBODY IS HERE?" the other twin said.

"We're just a little early," Mrs. Weasley said, taking a seat on a wooden bench.

"The early bird gets the worm, that's what I say," Percy said, taking a seat by his mother.

"Or, the first year is so excited about school that he wakes up at 6:00 in the morning to catch the 11:00 train," Charlie said. The twins laughed hysterically, finding this comment extremely funny.

"Oh be quiet you," Percy said. "You two pinheads were just as excited when Mum told you that you had two years until you'd start." They stopped laughing and stuck their tongues out at him. Their brother was about to do the same, but realized that now that he was starting his career as a wizard student, he'd need to show more maturity and responsibility. He opened his trunk and took out his textbook on Transfiguration.

"Reading already, Percy?" Bill said. "School hasn't even started yet!"

"This is a time to get to know some of your classmates," Charlie said. "Make some new friends."

"Well, I'd find that an easier task to do on the train seeing as there is no one here," Percy said, not looking up from his book. He was right. The only other souls on the platform were mechanics, oiling the trains wheels, a few other early birds, the conductor, and a house-elf holding scrolls of parchment for a Professor.

"Mum, I want a Chocolate Frog!" one of the twins whined when he saw the witch with the food trolley roll by, having recently stocked her cart.

"I want one too!" his brother said. "Please, please, please, please, please, please! I only need one more Godric Gryffindor and I'll have 100!"

"100? Why on earth do you need 100 of those cards?!" Mrs. Weasley asked, shocked that her son had acquired that many Wizard cards. Before he could answer her with a complex excuse, another young boy and his mother had just appeared through the barrier.

"Come on, Oliver. No need to dawdle," his mother said, pulling him along.

"I'm too…tie-tie-tired," Oliver said, suppressing a yawn. "We must be the only ones here! I told you it's too early."

"No, look. There's a nice red-haired family. Maybe one of the boys is in your year. It'd be fun to make friends now."

"I guess so," Oliver said. He made his way over to the Weasley family, who was now back to talking about Chocolate Frogs. Percy peered over his book and saw Oliver coming. He had his hands in his pockets as he walked nonchalantly over to them. He was wearing a blue cap with Puddlemere United Quidditch Team embroidered across the front. Percy assumed he was the sporty-jock type of boy who'd end up stealing his quills or make fun of his glasses, definitely someone he didn't want to associate himself with. He went back to hide behind his book. "Hello. My name is Oliver."

"Hello Oliver," Mrs. Weasley said. "Are you starting at Hogwarts this year?"

"Mum, that's a dumb question to ask. Why else would he be here?" Charlie said. "Hey, Oliver. I'm Charlie Weasley of Gryffindor."

"Aren't you your house's seeker?" Oliver asked. Charlie nodded. "It's been my life's dream, well so far, to be on my house's Quidditch team!"

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Lofty goal, Percy thought.

"If you're up to practicing and training, rain or shine, and you're old enough and pretty darned good, then I'm sure you'll make it."

"I hope so! Quidditch is my life!" Percy rolled his eyes behind his book and tried to resume his reading.

"Well, Oliver, you should meet my other sons," Mrs. Weasley said getting up. "That tall one over there is Bill. He's _Head Boy_, you know."

"Mother," Bill said, shaking Oliver's hand. "Nice to meet you, Oliver."

"And these are my two twins boys, Fred and George."

Fred greeted, "How do-" 

"You do?" George finished, the two identical little boys bowing and fighting to shake hands first. They thought of themselves as being extremely funny and started laughing again.

"And this is Percy. He's a first year as well. Percy, get your nose out of that book and meet your classmate," Mrs. Weasley said, pushing the book down from his face.

"Hello," Oliver said, holding his hand out to shake.

"Morning," Percy replied, shaking Oliver's hand. They looked at each other awkwardly, not knowing what to say. Percy began to turn red, a trait that ran in the family. After all, it was clear that he would rather read his book and Oliver would rather talk to Charlie about Quidditch. Percy decided the respectful thing to do was try and make conversation. He pushed his glasses up and broke the silence. "Uh…so do you know what house you're going to be in?"

"I really don't know yet," Oliver said.

"Yeah, neither do I."

"Of course you'll be in Gryffindor, dear," Mrs. Weasley said. "Your father and I, and your brothers have been in Gryffindor."

"I was kind of hoping to be in Ravenclaw," Percy said.

"That's only for smart alec prats- Ow!" George cried as Percy kicked his shin. "That's what Charlie said!" Charlie became redder that Percy.

"I didn't mean…Oh look! Here comes Steven! I've got to, ahem, talk to him about, uh, Quidditch try-outs. Nice talking to you all!" Charlie said, waving good bye and catching up with his friend. Oliver watched him go. So did Percy. He was hoping that Charlie and Oliver would start talking and he, Percy, would be able to ignore them again.

Percy tried talking again. "So…do you know what house you're going-"

"You already asked that," Oliver interrupted.

"Oh, right."

"So what's your Quidditch team?"

"Um…I haven't really got a liking for Quidditch…"

"Oh…well, then you can support Puddlemere with me. I can tell you all about them or…something."

"That would be…nice," Percy said. He mentally kicked himself for using such a stupid word.

"Oliver! Come here! I want you to meet my friend's daughter," Mrs. Wood called. She waved at the Weasley's. "Sorry to take him away!"

"That's quite all right!" Percy replied before his mother said anything. He personally, was glad to go back to reading.

"Well, bye," Oliver said leaving.

"Now wasn't that nice of him," Mrs. Weasley said once he left. "See, Percy. You're making friends already."

"Yeah, whatever," Percy said, sitting back down and opening his book again. He looked back at Oliver, for no reason at all and saw that he was talking much more animatedly with his mother's friend's daughter, who had long blonde curls.

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Making friends, yeah right. Nobody wants to be friends with boring, bookish Percy,he thought, resuming his reading about transfiguring a pin needle into a match. Then for an unknown reason to Percy, he decided to look up at the girl again. He found himself doing this more often as the hours went by.

Finally, the conductor called out to the much more packed platform. "All aboard! Let's go! Hogwarts Express leaves in 30 minutes." Everyone got up and began to scramble for trunks and things.

"Now study hard, do as your told, obey all your teachers," Mrs. Weasley said, fixing Percy's collar. She licked her thumb and started fiddling with Percy's hair.

"Mum, please. I'm 11 years old, you know," Percy said, he glanced around to see if anyone was watching. She straightened his glasses and brushed off his shoulders of dust.

"You got your trunk, books, parchment, quills, wand, socks-"

"Mum, I'll be fine! I double checked last night and this morning," Percy said picking up his trunk from the trolley. He found it was heavier than he thought. He started dragging it and followed Bill onto the train.

"Wait!" Mrs. Weasley called. She gave Percy a motherly hug and a kiss on the cheek. She seemed to be crying. "Don't cry, Percy. Christmas will be here before you know it."

"Mum, you're the one crying," Percy said. He hugged her too and continued toward the train, dragging his trunk.

"Bye Percy!" Fred called, pretending to be crying like Mrs. Weasley. "Promise to write!"

"We'll miss you Percy!" George said. "We won't know how we'll ever sleep without your snoring!" A group of boys started laughing hysterically. Percy turned red and tried to ignore them.

"I'll miss you dear!" Mrs. Weasley cried as she cried. "Don't forget to write!" Percy dared to wave back and one of the boys muttered, "Mama's boy." Percy ignored this comment and ascended up the stairs of the train car. He pulled with all his might, but his trunk decided it wasn't going to go up the stairs. He decided to climb over and push from the bottom, but suddenly, the trunk was up the steps in no time.

"Thought you needed a hand," Oliver said jovially as he climbed on board after Percy's trunk.

"Er, thanks," Percy muttered. "I could've done it myself though."

"Poor Mama's boy needs someone to push the heavy trunk," the same boy from the crowd outside said. "Looks like he's too weak to attend Hogwarts!" The boy's friends started howling with laughter. Percy turned redder than ever and really tried to ignore them. He kept walking, dragging his trunk.

"Just ignore them. They're probably going to end up in Slytherin," Oliver said from behind him.

"I can handle those jeering remarks. You don't have to worry about me." He found an empty compartment and sat down. Again he found trouble setting his trunk up on the rack, until it was suddenly sitting up there in no time. To Percy's surprise, Oliver had joined him. "Er, thanks…again."

"No problem," Oliver said, hoisting his trunk up next to Percy's. They sat down.

"Um, what are you doing here anyway?"

"What do you mean? We're friends now, aren't we?" Percy was surprised that someone who was such an opposite of him decided that they were friends. "It's not like I know anyone else anyway."

"Er…yeah…" Percy took out a novel and started reading silently to himself. He looked up for one second, out at the hall and saw the blonde curly haired girl coming by. He couldn't help but watch her again. Oliver noticed and called her.

"Hey Penelope! Come sit with us!"

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So…the title too corny? Stupid idea? Not believable? What do you think? I'll tell you what you're thinking. You're thinking that you see the Submit Review-Go button and contemplating if you should push it. I say just do it. Come one, it won't bite!


	2. Friends and Daiquiris

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Chapter 2: Friends and Daiquiris

"Are you crazy?" Percy said, looking wildly at Oliver. Oliver just grinned.

"Hello again Oliver," Penelope said, taking a seat next to him. Percy quickly went back behind his book, but both of his compartment mates could see his ears glowing red from behind. Oliver laughed silently to himself.

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Silly girl. What am I doing? Why am I so embarrassed? This is stupid. Percy thought. He slowly lowered his book and saw that Penelope was still looking at him, so the book shot up again.

"Well…aren't you going to introduce me?" Penelope said.

"Oh! Sorry. Er, Percy, this is Penelope. Penelope, this is Percy Weasley," Oliver said. "Percy? Hello?"

"Oh, sorry," Percy said, trying to sound calm. He put his book down on his lap. "Nice to meet you Penelope." Though it sounded like Pen-elope.

"Actually, I prefer Penny," Penny said as Oliver laughed to himself again. Percy raised his book back up and tried to forget Penny was there. She looked out the window and gasped. "Oh my! Who's that?" Percy dared to look to his right and saw that Fred or George's head was peering through the window. He jumped at the site of him. Fred or George was apparently standing on his twin's shoulders.

"Hi Percy!" the twin's muffled voice shouted. "Can you hear me?" Percy put his hand to his face and shook his head. He felt more humiliated then when he was being teased at. The twin continued shouting. "Mum says…"

"No write it down or something!" Percy cried waving his arms and making a writing gesticulation.

"All right! Well-Mum-says-she-has-a-note-for-you-any-way! She's-al-most-fin-ished!" the twin shouted, clearly and carefully pronouncing each word as if Percy was atop a mountain rather than behind glass. The twin then waved good-bye and lowered out of sight.

"Who was that?" Penny asked, giggling.

"Oh…my brothers…bit annoying really…" Percy said, looking down. Oliver had tried to keep a straight face the whole time and just burst out laughing.

"Oh man! That's classic!" Oliver said, still laughing. "Oh look, he's back!" Fred or George's head reappeared with a scrap of parchment of a long written note. The twin took out the Drooble's Best Blowing Gum out of his mouth, stuck it on the front of the note, and attached the lot onto the window and lowered himself again. Oliver started laughing hysterically and had to excuse himself. Penny, still a bit giggly, sat back in her seat and tried not to read the note and keep a straight face. Percy was redder than his hair and he leaned over and read the note on the glass.

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Percy, don't forget to write a nice letter back to the family once you reach the school so we know that you're well. And I just remembered that you left your rat at home. I can't understand why you'd forget your own pet. I'll send him with Errol, but don't worry, he hates mice and things anyway. Good luck, Love, and have a pleasant trip!

Love, Mommy

p.s. Fred and George said you've got a girlfriend already! Is it that pretty blonde with curls?

Percy read the last line with fear and quickly covered it by leaning against the window. Oliver had come back and sat down, still grinning.

"So what was it they wanted?"

"Uh…just to write once we get to Hogwarts, and uhh…other stuff like things she remembered I forgotten…" Percy said nervously, hoping Penny hadn't read the note over his shoulder.

"That's good," Penny said. She suddenly got up. "I just remembered, I was sitting with a group of other girls. I'm sorry, but I have to leave you two. Good-bye! Nice meeting you, Percy!" She smiled and left the compartment. Percy let out a sigh and relaxed.

"You dig her, don't you?" Oliver said, still grinning.

"What? I don't know what you're talking about," Percy said, looking up and around. "I don't dig anything, except dig for gardening or…something like that…"

"Percy, Percy, Percy," Oliver sighed. "So young; so much for you to learn. I meant that you like her. You know, you desire her presence."

"What?!?" Percy said, feeling his face turn red with embarrassment. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"There's no hope. You're in denial. Don't worry, Percy; I know the truth. Someday you will, too," Oliver said, laying back in his seat.

"Well, you've got to get your facts straight or…" Percy didn't know what to say. He knew Oliver wouldn't back down, so he gave up and turned back to his book.

"So what are you reading anyway?"

"_1984_," Percy replied, not looking up.  
"Never heard of it before," Oliver said. "Can I see it?" Percy handed him the book after marking his page and Oliver read the back cover.

"Well, it's a Muggle novel. My father brought it back from work because some madman jinxed it to bite the reader." Oliver quickly tossed the book back to Percy.

"Don't worry, he fixed it," Percy said.

"Where does your dad work anyway?"

"The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic."

"Can't say I've heard of that either."

"I don't see why he won't take a higher ranking job. He refuses to be promoted."

"Why?"

"Well, he loves Muggles and would trade in his wand for a day to live with Muggles."

"Cool!"

"What is your father's occupation?"

"He works at the Ministry, too. At the Magical Game and Sport office, subdividing into the English Quidditch teams. He got me this hat when he went on an advertising campaign with Puddlemere. He gets me loads of stuff and sometimes he gets free tickets so we get to see Puddlemere play all the time!"

"Interesting," Percy said, looking out the compartment door involuntarily. He then saw Penny coming down the hall, dragging her trunk and leading a cat on a leash. "Oh no! Oliver, she's coming back! She's coming back!"

"What's wrong with that?" Percy didn't answer and leaned back over the note, which was still gummed to the window and hid behind his book.

"Hello again, boys," Penny greeted. "Do you still have room for one more?"

"Of course," Oliver said, getting up to help with her trunk. Penny sat down and lifted her cat onto her lap. It was a very fluffy white cat with a pink nose and two beady green eyes. Percy looked over his book and saw Penny was watching him again while Oliver set her trunk on the overhead rack. Percy couldn't use the same trick again so he put his book down and tried to make conversation.

"Er…Hi Penny. I didn't see you come in," Percy said, sitting up straighter.

"Yeah. The girls thought I wasn't sitting with them anymore since I disappeared so they gave my seat to someone else."

"Oh. I'm sorry we kept you here too long."

"Oh, no need to worry. I'd rather talk with you two than them. They're spoiled brats giving manicures to each other anyway."

"Your cat got a name?" Percy asked.

"Lucretia," she said, stroking the long white fur. "Did you bring any animals?"

"Oh no. I forgot him at home," Percy said. "But it's a good thing, too, seeing as he's a rat."

"Oh, good thing you forgot," Penny said, feeling a rat was not the nicest pet to have. She suddenly realized why Percy said what he said as Lucretia purred gently next to her. "I mean, otherwise Lucretia might have eaten him." She laughed weakly. There was the first awkward silence until Fred or George appeared again. Penny waved and smiled.

"Mum, Percy's girlfriend is waving at me!" the boy's muffled voice said, which made Percy turn around.

"Go away!" He mouthed angrily.

"I'm just getting back the note," the boy said pulling it off. The gum was pulled into a long gummy string and came off with a pop. "Bye!"

"Don't mind him. He's being an idiot," Percy said, blushing with embarrassment.

"So what's that book about that makes it so interesting?" Penny asked, spying _1984_ in Percy's lap.

"Oh it's a wonderful Muggle novel. It's a view of the year 1984 back in the 1950's when communism and all those government issues were beginning after WWII. It's actually quite a read, for there are many things forbidden in their society and there are telescreens so that the government can keep an eye on you everywhere."

"Hmm, not a very private lifestyle," Oliver said.

"It is very good and well written," Percy said.

"Muggle books _are_ fantastic though," Penny said suddenly. "Right now I'm reading a novel called _Robinson Crusoe_."

"Great choice! It's one of my favorite adventure stories," Percy said excitedly. "It is not only exciting, but it shows how an isolated Muggle man learns to live off the land and finds innovative substitutes for his everyday life."

"I know! I'm at the part where he makes a canoe in the forest but can't use it because-"

"It's too far from shore and it's too heavy to move," Percy finished.

"Right," Penny said, smiling. "I can't wait to read the end."

"It gets better and better, though some parts were a bit grisly." Percy and Penny continued to chat about the Muggle books they've read until they heard the conductor say they had only two more minutes until departure for Hogwarts.

"Oh, I have to go for a minute. I promised Mother I'd say goodbye before we leave," Penny said, leaving the compartment.

"You two certainly hit it off," Oliver said, grinning. 

"Hit what off? I didn't attack her!"

"No, no, no…never mind," Oliver said. "We have two minutes. Let's get off the train while we still can. I heard it's a long ride to Hogwarts."

"I'll go with you. I know my mother is expecting me to say good bye again," Percy said, getting up. There were very few last minute stragglers on the platform and some other students saying one last good bye.

"I've been expecting you to come out here again," Mrs. Weasley said, now crying harder and hugging her son. Even the twins were really crying.

"We'll m-m-miss you P-P-Percy," Fred said, trying to hold back his tears.

"Yeah, w-we might forget what it's like to have a brother," George said as the two gave a good bye hug to their older brother.

"You knuckle-heads. You two are brothers," Percy said. "Besides, you also have Ron and Ginny. Without me, Charlie, or Bill, you two ought to take care of them."

"Yes, sir," Fred and George said in unison as if commanded by a military officer. They stood up straight and saluted him.

"Don't worry, we'll do our duty," George said.

"To torture them!" Fred said, then they both broke into a fake malicious laugh.

"Say hello to your new girlfriend for me," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Mum, Penny is not my girlfriend. Well, technically she is, but only because she's a new friend that happens to be a girl," Percy said. Mrs. Weasley just smiled at him and gave him one last kiss on the cheek and Percy ran back to the train.

"All aboard! Last call!" the conductor cried. Percy ran into his compartment where Oliver and Penny were waving out of the open window. Percy joined them as the Hogwarts Express finally departed for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

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"Lunchtime. Would you children care for anything?" the witch with the food trolley asked.

"I'm starving," Oliver said, getting up to look at the cart. Meanwhile, Percy unwrapped a sandwich and thermos of pumpkin juice he packed earlier. Penny had taken out a sandwich and thermos as well. She ripped off the bread crust and fed them to Lucretia. Oliver returned with a bottle of Butterbeer, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, and three Cauldron cakes.

"Here you go," Oliver said, tossing a cake to Penny and Percy. "You two eat like birds, with only sandwiches."

"Thanks, Oliver," Percy and Penny said, happy with his generosity.

"So what's in that sandwich anyway?" Oliver asked, uncorking his bottle.

"Roast beef," Percy said after swallowing. Penelope squealed.

"Me too!" Penny said. "What a coincidence!" They finished eating their lunches and soon they were all well fed and tired. Oliver took out his set of playing cards and they all played card games, which all too soon got boring. They only knew one game, and Percy and Penny decided they felt like reading. _1984_ and _Robinson Crusoe_ waved over there faces as they became deeply immersed in their novels. Oliver felt awkward, just sitting there, so he opened his trunk and took out his reading material, _Quidditch through the Ages_. The train compartment was very quiet and the only sounds were the occasional purrs from Lucretia and the sounds of the clanking train. After twenty or so minutes of reading, the door slid open.

"What is this, the book club?" a girl asked rudely. She had straight brown hair tied in a ponytail and wore silver metal framed glasses. She the spoke again in what seemed like a rehearsed voice. "Penny, I've been looking all over for you."

"Why?" Penny asked, looking up from her novel. Oliver looked up too, but Percy continued to read. "What did I do?"

"Well, we girls wanted to talk to you. We decided that you don't deserve to be with these boring _boys_. Come have fun with us!" the girl said, sounding like a bad actress in a play.

"No thank you. I'm fine here. We're just taking a reading break."

"Please, Penny," the girl said in an incredibly fake pleading voice. She followed with an incredibly fake sad frowning face.

"I've already said I'm fine here. Besides, I'm quite comfortable already and my luggage is sitting peacefully where it is," Penny said.

"Oh all right," the girl said, taking the empty seat next to Percy. She let out a sigh and spoke more naturally. "The real reason I've been sent was because those stupid 'Oh my gosh you like have like the cutest little outfit' girls wanted to know about _them_." She waved her arms as if presenting Oliver and Percy as animals at the zoo.

"What do you mean by that?" Percy said, finally snapping his book shut.

"If you three haven't noticed, you're the only first years in a co-ed compartment. They just want to know how you did it, Penny. Pretty stupid if you ask me. I said I didn't want to do it. But there were 4 other girls who joined our compartment and they all shoved me out and told me to come back with information. So I was all, 'no', but they were all, 'yes', but I was all, 'I'm going to take a while.' So I left them making bead bracelets and gossiping about the new Head Boy: 'Oh my gosh, Bill Weasley is so handsome!' 'Like he so totally is.' 'Was like that his brother sitting with Penny?' 'I like totally hope we find out or whatever for some junk.' 'Like no way, that is not his brother.' 'Like way.' 'Like that's impossible.' Geez, I just wanted to wring their necks till their voice boxes came out! They were such girly girls!" she said all in one breath, doing all kinds of voices.

"Girls," Percy said, rolling his eyes. "Who are you anyway?"

"Virginia Mary Strawberry Daiquiri," said Virginia Mary Strawberry Daiquiri. Percy and Oliver looked at her like she was kidding. "I prefer just plain Virginia. My parents changed our last name to match their latest interest. Pretty stupid if you ask me. I'm just glad I'm Virginia. But then my mother was like, 'You're Virginia Mary named after the drink,Virgin Mary.' So I was all, 'Shoot, my name's still after a drink.' But at least I'm not Margarita. She's a snob anyhow. She's in the 6th year. My little sister hasn't started yet. At least her name isn't a drink, and I envy her for that. "Luna" isn't a name of a drink, right?"

"I don't think so," Percy said, amazed at the speed Virginia could speak at. "So what's your real last name?"

"Well there was Quibbler, for the longest time, then it recently changed to Daiquiri, there was also Qwikspell when my mother discovered she couldn't do magic all of a sudden, but she forgot she was a Muggle anyway. There was also Ghirardelli, Hershey, Nestle, Bott, Swiss, but those were for a short time because we found out Mother was allergic to chocolate. I feel bad for her, because she's really ill now. Still, they're so weird for changing our name. They've always liked drinks and throwing parties with drinks. That's probably why they're so weird. I prefer juice, milk, and water if you ask me. Anyway, the name is Daiquiri, but originally it was Lovegood. I hate my family. I want to be disowned," Virginia said. The others just looked at her, still shocked with the practice of her family's name changing.

"Now no one wants that. You can't hate your family that much," Penny said.

"You'd hate them too if you just want to be a normal witch and you have an eccentric father who runs the world's most ridiculous magazine, a little sister who's just as odd, an older sister who thinks she's the best in the world, and a family who take hobbies a little too far. Well, I have to report back before one of those even odder girls comes to fetch me."

"Why go back, Virginia?" Penny asked. "You'd said you would be a while. Besides, who wants to spend the remainder of the trip with them?"

"You're right," Virginia said. "I guess it _would_ be better to stay here. You all seem the closest thing to normality on this bloody train. Besides, those girls'd probably send me off again once I come back and I haven't got a decent answer to tell them. If you ask me, I think every other first year here is stupid and shy and don't trust the opposite gender so they've decided to stay with their own kind. You know what? I think I'll go get my trunk, too and stay here for the remainder of the trip. I'll be back." She then slid open the door and left.

"Don't worry about Virginia. She's pretty decent," Penny said, noticing the distressed looks on Percy and Oliver.

"It's just that," Oliver said, "she talks so much!"

"Well we need to have some good long chats about things," Percy said, mainly looking at Penny. "You know, to know each other better."

"I agree. When Virginia returns we can play a little game. We go around and say something about ourselves," Penny said. The boys agreed. They all put their books away as Virginia came back dragging her trunk. After getting settled, they began the game. The sky grew darker and was beginning to be dotted with bright shimmering stars. The train even began to slow down, and before they knew it, the Hogwarts Express had arrived at Hogsmeade Station. The students, all dressed in their school robes, piled off the train and onto the platform where an enormous bulky man holding a torch was calling:

"Firs' years! This way! Come on, don't' be shy! Firs' years! Follow me!" the gigantic man said.

"Who is that?" Oliver asked, a sense of fear in his voice.

"That's only Hagrid," Percy said. "My brothers say he's really quite nice."

"He is," Charlie said, suddenly appearing. "Don't worry, Oliver. Hagrid won't bite."

"Me, worried?" Oliver said, turning to look at Charlie. He mocked a laugh. "That's probably the funniest thing I ever-"

"Hurry up firs' years! We 'aven't got all nigh'!" Hagrid said, standing directly behind Oliver, who had jumped like a spooked horse on Halloween.

"Hello, Charlie," said Hagrid. "Are these your lit'l brothers? This one don't got red hair."

"Oh, Oliver is just Percy's new friend," Charlie said. "But you better not scare him too much, Hagrid. He's supposedly going to be a new member of one of the Houses Quidditch teams."

"I ain't scary now, am I?" Hagrid asked, looking at Charlie like he never found himself to be menacing. He winked at Oliver and continued shouting. "Firs' years! This way!" They all finally were gathered and headed down an alternate route towards a very large lake. They then were organized into boats, which magically navigated towards the school. Passing through a curtain of ivy and stopping at an underground dock, the boats unloaded and the new students gathered at the large oak front door of Hogwarts School.

***


	3. Where are all the Brave?

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that has to do with Harry Potter books except for this story. Any characters whose names are that of real people are purely coincidental. Characters except for originals, Histories, Settings, etc. are property of JK Rowling and whoever else owns the series.

****

Chapter 3: Where are all the Brave?

"Achmed, Arina," Professor McGonagal said out loud as she began reading the list of first years. They all stood in front of the old Sorting Hat, waiting to be sorted into their houses. Many of them were nervous and Arina Achmed was shaking, scared of being the very first one. She sat there for a while, waiting for the hat's decision.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted, the rip opening wide. The table of Hufflepuffs cheered as Arina made her way to them.

"Alpine, Sherman," Professor McGonagal said out loud. Sherman Alpine quickly ran to the chair and McGonagal placed the hat on his head. It fit quite snugly, for Sherman had a very big head. The hat didn't waste much time with Sherman and he was sent to Ravenclaw right away.

"Bowman, Boris." Boris staggered towards the chair. The hat fell down to his ears and shouted, "SLYTHERIN!" The Slytherins cheered very loudly and all stood up as Boris slumped his way to the table where he slouched in his seat.

"What are we doing? How is it deciding?" Oliver whispered to Percy, Penny, and Virginia suddenly as the hat was taking a particular long time with Portia Bolkin.

"Weren't you listening?" Percy said, crossly. 

"No, I was thinking about how a raven's like a writing desk. What did it say?"

"It said '_I'll tell if you are man or mouse, and sort you into the right house_.'"

"But how?"

"It reads our minds or something," Penny whispered back.

"But how does it know who's in where?" Portia Bolkin was then sorted into Ravenclaw and then Kat Candor was being sorted. She also was spending a long amount of time on the stool with the hat.

"Gryffindor has those who are brave," Percy said.

"And Ravenclaw is for the cleverest," Penelope said. 

"Slytherin is for the bad apples. They're ambitious," Virgina added. She saw the confused look on Oliver's face. "They're power hungry."

"And Hufflepuff is for the ones most loyal, but Bill says its for whoever's left over," said Percy.

"Clearwater, Penelope," Professor McGonagal read loud and clear after the applause for Kat Candor of Hufflepuff. The boys and Virginia wished Penny luck as she approached the seat. She sat there for only 30 seconds and the hat made its decision.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat shouted. Penny smiled at Percy and waved as she joined Portia and Sherman.

"Now I really want to be in Ravenclaw," Percy muttered under his breath, still looking at Penny, who was now watching Kalvin Clein being sorted.

"What was that, Percy?" Oliver asked.

"Now I- no, nothing. I didn't say anything…" Oliver just shrugged as the kids moved on. After a while, everyone found something very odd. No one was sorted into Gryffindor yet! They were at the E's and Virginia was happy that she wasn't called during the D's. Soon, they reached the L's.

"Oh my," McGonagal said, glaring down again at the scroll with the list of names. Virginia said quietly to Percy and Oliver, "Probably me."

"Virginia Mary Strawberry Daiquiri Lovegood," McGonogal said. Everyone started laughing and chuckling, except for some of the teachers, Virginia and her sister Margarita, who was hiding her face over at the Hufflepuff table. The hat sat on her head and was pondering for quite some time. People began to get lazy and bored and started conversations. Finally, they were interrupted by the loud shout of the Sorting hat.

"GRYFFINDOR!" The Gryffindor table exploded since they finally had someone join their table. Virginia was all smiles since she was the first Gryffindor and not in the same house as her sister. Soon after that, Lucille McGillian, Henrietta Newbourne, and Patsy Owens joined Gryffindor. Patrick Portabello was sorted into Hufflepuff. Yao Phi was sorted into Ravenclaw with his brothers Chao and Ling. After more Slytherins, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws, the Gryffindors got nervous again. Where were the brave boys of Gryffindor's first years? Finally the reached the W's.

"Weasley, Percival," Professor McGonagal called. Percy was very confident that he would be put in Ravenclaw. He knew he was very clever and smart, and ready for a challenge. Or was this something that defined a courageous Gryffindor? No…There weren't any Gryffindor boys picked yet. He wouldn't be the first. Then again, there were only three people left to be sorted. Percy got nervous. He didn't know why he was. He had been confident all night, why would he be nervous now? He was a big brave boy. No, he wanted to be the smart one. The smart one in the house with Penny. He looked over at her and his face started turning red again. Could the sorting hat see blushing people? No, it didn't have eyes…….But it could read your thoughts.

The Sorting Hat dropped over his head, hiding his red hair. Percy froze as a voice spoke in his head. "Hmmm…your brothers were Gryffindors. Your mother and father as well…But you have such a good mind. A strong healthy one, ready to learn…study…perform well academically. You even _want_ to be in Ravenclaw. But just for a girl? No, I see that you're not a 'Nervous Nelly' nor do you take crap from anybody. You're brave in that sense, and I see…a small thirst for power…prefect? Head boy? Lofty goals! Maybe Slytherin would do you good…"

__

No! Percy thought with fear.

"Okay, okay…not Slytherin…Ravenclaw or Gryffindor…this is a very difficult choice. I haven't gotten any truly brave boys come to me. Most were like you, intellectual, cunning, what do you call them these days? Study Buddies. Smart Alec prats, you say. Yes. But you…you are ready to live your life and face the difficulties of ridicule, stress, and peer pressure...you're different. You wear glasses and like books. The quintessential nerd. You read too much and learn a lot. But don't forget, what you do makes you who you are. Hmmmmm….you come from a family that's not quite as serious as you. True you have that Head Boy brother, and the Seeker brother. Then you have two crazy twins, the youngest son, and the only daughter. With you stuck in the middle. You had to follow in your elders' footsteps, but at the same time look after the younger ones. Bravery above anyone else here! Bravery to live up to the schools standards and bravery to stand up against bullies, who you _know_ won't leave you alone. You, being boring and bookish. But _I _know that _you_ know that you're more than that. What an honor it would be to stand as the first Gryffindor of the group. The first to be known for his bravery, his courage, his honor, his readiness for new beginnings and-"

__

Are you finished yet? Percy couldn't help but think.

"Be patient young one. It is I alone who can change your future. Your destiny."

__

I'm ready for that challenge. Just make a decision, please! Percy thought, eager to find his place.

"Well in that case…_GRYFFINDOR!" _The hat shouted. The Gryffindor table erupted as Percy was known as the first boy to be chosen in Gryffindor. The first brave boy of all the first years. The first…to lose his chance of being closer to Penny. 

__

No, no, that's not a reason…Percy thought to himself as his brothers, who were cheering the loudest, welcomed him. Virginia was beaming, glad to know someone, for Lucille, Henrietta, and Patsy seemed to already be great friends. 

"Well done, Percy!" Bill cheered.

"You'll make Mum and Dad proud!" Charlie cried. "What did it say for you to be up there so long?"

"Very good! Brave, noble Percy! I knew you'd be in Gryffindor!" Virginia said. "With your brothers in it, why wouldn't you be?"

Everyone, except for the Slytherins, was still cheering and chatting about the first Gryffindor boy until Professor Dumbledore stood up to silence everyone, for there were still three more students to sort. Everyone shut up at once. There was something most majestic about Dumbledore. His appearance made many quiver in awe at the well respected wizard. Yes, when Dumbledore wanted silence, he got it. One could be able to hear a pin drop, but no one would drop one, what with Dumbledore already asking for silence.

"Wilkens, Phillip." Philip Wilkens stood up and nervously walked up to the stool. To his relief, the hat didn't take as long as he did with Percy and sent him to Hufflepuff. There were two people left when a horrible thought came to Percy. What if he was the _only_ boy chosen for Gryffindor? He began to panic and wished and wished that Oliver or the other kid would be sitting next to him soon. Who could take living alone and having classes with all girls? Giggly, gossiping, out-going girls. Even though Oliver was such an opposite, Quidditch loving guy, Percy still desired his new friend to be his roommate.

"Woldworth, Walden," Professor McGonagal called. Walden Woldworth stepped up, and just like Philip Wilkens, he was sorted right away into Hufflepuff, too. He got a light applause from the Gryffindor table as he filled in the last chair at the Hufflepuff's. Percy looked around. All the tables were quite full. Oliver had to be chosen for Gryffindor. But does the hat choose, based on seating arrangements? Percy knew Oliver was brave. He did after all speak to him at Platform 9 3/4. But was he smarter than he looked? Would his generosity send him to the Hufflepuffs, even if they had no seats left? Was he really an ambitious boy, thirsting for power and place at Slytherin? The hat seemed to be thinking the same things, for Oliver was taking longer than Percy. Hagrid had fallen asleep in his chair, and if Professor Sinistra hadn't used a silencing charm, everyone would hear his snores. Though the other souls in the great hall were paying close attention, wanting to see if Percy would end up only being the only brave boy of the first years.

The brim of the hat began to crack open. It grew wider. This was it. The final student. Would Oliver Wood be chosen as the only other Gryffindor First Year male or would he just be added to the bunch of Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws?

It was such a quiet night on the Hogwarts Grounds. The frogs were croaking merrily in the lake as the squid swam lazily on the lake floor. The crickets began the beautiful symphony played naturally in the night. The serene atmosphere created a picturesque evening of a castle by a lake. Though, if Oliver Wood was chosen for something other than Gryffindor, the night would have remained the same.

A loud boom and chorus of cheers exploded from the Great Hall. The Gryffindors were jumping up and down and Percy was happy that he wasn't alone. Even the other tables were glad, since now they could eat. They cheered and shouted and jumped for joy. It was like a party! A bonfire! Pep rally! Quidditch Game! But this all ended too soon as Dumbledore stood up and everyone heard the pin dropped.

***

The feast was magnificent! There were roast duck, turkey, pig, chicken, steaks, chops and side dishes. There were grilled vegetables, steamed vegetables, mashed potatos, string beans, lima beans, kidney beans, green beans, green peas, salads, carrot sticks, celery sticks, asparagus, chicken pie, and much much more. There were soups and rolls, butter in the shape of a lion, eagle, badger, or serpent, depending on where you were sitting. There were spring rolls, egg rolls, jelly rolls, sea food, land lubber's food, Asian dishes, European Dishes, African Dishes, Hispanic Dishes, and American Hot Dogs and Burgers. There were meals and dishes to please even the pickiest of palettes. There were so many desserts afterwards that everyone was too full and happy to figure out what they were. Finally, the dishes cleared clean like magic and Dumbledore stood up for silence and his usual speech.

"Now that we are all full and in no need of our belts, I would like to begin with a few rules to our new students and reminders to our elder ones. Now, the Forbidden Forest, also known as the Dark forest, is strictly forbidden to all students. The meanest of beasts dwell in the shelter of the foreboding trees… Our caretaker Mr. Filch requires me to read off the list of forbidden items in school corridors: Anvils of the flying variety, Apple bombs, Aphid farms, Artichokes, Automatic Fire Starters…

10 minutes later…

"Happy Valley Playing Cards, Hecate Heifer Holes, Humungo Dungo Hyperworks…" 

30 minutes later…

"…Zapping Zipping Zoomerangs, Zipping Zapping Zoomeroos, and Zilches. Anyone need a repeat? I am sorry to say that this will be the last year of the reading of the list, as it has grown quite long over the years. It will be posted on his door in the dungeons in case any student desires to double check. Now, we have a new Professor with us, Professor Quirrell for Defense Against the Dark Arts classes. I trust he will be a fine asset to the school and I hope you all make him feel welcome. Please Quincy, stand up." A chipper, young wizard stood up and bowed as everyone politely applauded the new teacher. He sat down and Dumbledore resumed his speech. "Now is the time for the school song and afterwards, you may follow your prefects to the dormitories for a good night's sleep. Now choose a tune, and let's begin!" He waved his wand and the lyrics appeared in golden ribbons of words.

[The following is by JK Rowling, not me.]

__

Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts

Teach us something please,

Whether we be old and bald,

Or young with scabby knees,

Our heads could do with filling

With some interesting stuff,

For now they're bare and full of air,

Dead flies and bits of fluff,

So teach us things worth knowing,

Bring back what we've forgot,

Just do your best, we'll do the rest,

And learn until our brains all rot.


	4. Meeting New Enemies

__

OOPS!! Thank you bibphile for pointing out that Penny is a year younger. Oh well, nobody's perfect! Right now, I'm brainstorming on how to fix it, but then again I don't have to! But I want to…oh well… Who knows what will happen? I do! MWAHAHAHAH! Lol, getting a little cuckoo here…I hope you like this chapter so happy reading!

****

Chapter 4: Meeting New Enemies

"Isn't this wonderful?" Oliver said lying back in his new four poster bed, the hangings drawn back. He had already changed into his new pajamas and was ready for bed. "We've got this whole room to ourselves!"

"It is quite satisfactory," Percy said, writing a letter at his desk. "But to tell you the truth, I was afraid I'd be the only one here tonight."

"I know! What was up with that?" Oliver said, sitting up. "Where are all the other brave boys of Gryffindor?"

"In other years," Percy joked. He just finished his letter and rolled it up. "I've got to send this back home."

"It can wait for the morning," Oliver said. "It's so late already." He let out a great yawn.

"You're right," Percy said. He lay in his own bed. "I'll just do it after breakfast."

"It's a shame Penny wasn't put in Gryffindor with us," Oliver said.

"Yeah…Penny," Percy said dreamily.

"What was that, Percy?"

"Oh…nothing," Percy replied, pulling the covers over himself.

"Yeah, nothing all right," Oliver said. "You're thinking about Penny."

"What?!" Percy said. He was growing red again and sounded offended. "I wasn't…I was-"

"Never mind, Percy," Oliver said, laughing. He lay back down and soon both boys were fast asleep…

Ting-a-ling-a-ling! Ting-a-ling-a-ling! Percy's small red alarm clock was ringing very early the next morning. Ting-a-ling-a-ling! Ting-a-li-

"Percy!" Oliver moaned from his bed, sounding annoyed, having recently smashed Percy's clock. "I think…your clock…is broken…"

"Why's that?" Percy said, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. He reached for his horned-rimmed glasses and put them on.

"It's going off at 7:00 in the morning."

"Then it's working perfectly fine," Percy said, climbing out of bed and opening his armoire for a crisp, clean set of clothes and robes.

"Why'd you set it for so early?" Oliver slurred, rolling over in his bed. He let out a big yawn. 

"Classes start at 8 o'clock," Percy said.

"That means I still have 45 minutes to sleep!" Oliver groaned into his pillow.

"Sorry, didn't hear you," Percy said, buttoning up his white collared shirt. He then pulled the sweater vest over his shirt and his head came out with a pop.

"I said," Oliver spoke, lifting his head. "Oh never mind…" He rolled off his bed and landed with a loud thud onto the wooden floor.

"Hey! What's going on up there? We still have 45 minutes to sleep!" a muffled voice shouted from the dormitory below. Oliver lay sprawled on his back atop the floorboards and grumbled at this remark. He slowly got up, using the bedpost as support and dragged his feet and arms to his armoire for the day's set of robes.

"Well, I'm ready," Percy said, pulling his arms through the sleeves of Bill's old, starting-to-fade Hogwarts wizard robe.

"You go ahead," Oliver said, resting his head on one of the higher shelves and staring mindlessly at the neatly folded button-up uniform shirts. He was hoping that they'd put themselves around him by themselves. "I'll catch up later."

"So you can go back to sleep, I don't think so," Percy said. He tried to help Oliver get ready and picked out the top most shirt, vest, slacks, tie, and robe from each pile in the armoire. "Here, you can do the rest." Oliver had no choice since everything was already laid out. He slowly dressed and was ready by ten after. Together, they went down the stairs, into the common room and through the portrait hole, the entrance to the rooms of Gryffindor Tower.

"So, are we going to class now?" Oliver asked. "It's still way too early…" He yawned again and stretched out his arms.

"We're going to breakfast of course," Percy replied as they quickly descended down a moving staircase.

"What's breakfast?"

***

"Good morning! Wow, you're up early too," Virginia said, eating a bowl of corn flakes and reading an enormous book. Besides a few prefects, Virginia was the only one at the Gryffindor Table. A small group of Ravenclaws was there, though to Percy's dismay, Penny wasn't with them. There was a crowd of Hufflepuffs and absolutely no one at the Slytherin's table. The head table for teachers was full, even Hagrid was up.

"The early bird gets the worm," Percy said, taking his seat across from Virginia. He was right, because they got first pick of cereals, that had not been crumbled and messied by later, careless diners. Oliver was still very tired and leaned on his arm, dozing off. "What's that you're reading?"

"I got it out of the library just now. It's a law book by the Ministry of Magic," Virginia said, reading very miniscule print on very thin yellow paper.

"Why?" Oliver said, sitting up properly.

"I'm reading how to divorce from my family," Virginia said. "Did you know that there are exactly 73 laws for Wizarding families concerning Muggles and with at least 8 by-laws for each?" Oliver shook his head and decided to start eating. He chose a colorful cereal with bits of sugar clusters, but Percy insisted on mixing half of it with the oat bran. As the hour rolled by, many more students arrived and soon the Great Hall was buzzing with chitchats, making it impossible for Virginia to continue reading.

"These are your class schedules, first years," Professor McGonagal said, handing out slips of parchment. "Now, you have hour long sessions each day, though there are some classes only a few days a week. Some days you may have double sessions, resulting in two hour classes."

"Two hour classes?! What?!" Oliver said, snapping into attention, for he had still been quite out of it, even among the loud chit-chats.

"Yes, Wood. But only on certain days, though you don't have as many classes as those in higher years," Professor McGonagal explained. "Just the basic classes in the curriculum. Also, today, I believe you have all your classes as an introduction to Hogwarts School."

"Let's see," Virginia said, taking a deep breath. This meant she was going to be talking very fast pretty soon. "For today we have Transfiguration with Professor McGonagal at 8:00. Then we have History of Magic with a Professor Binns at 9:30. Ooh-wee, a thirty-minute break! Then we have Charms with a Professor Flitwick at 11:00. Wait, so that means 9:30-10:30 is History of Magic, then another thirty-minute break. That's wonderful! Thirty minutes between classes! That means we can save our homework for right before class, but that would be unwise since we would end up rushing and worrying about the time. No wait…this is just for today. Oh well, it was a nice idea anyhow. Moving on, we have a 12:30 class with that new teacher, Professor Quirrell, for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Then we have lunch at 2:00-3:00 (that's late!) and then we go out into the green houses at 3:30 for Herbology with a Professor Sprout. Then we've got Potions at 5:00 with a Professor Snape, this is a very long day! _And_ tonight we've got Astronomy with a Professor Sinistra! Hmmm, I wonder how many of these professors are female? I really don't know. And it will be really quite awkward _or_ quite fun in class since there's only six of us. What do you think? Well, you boys haven't said a word at all. Speak up, please."

"Well, actually," Percy began, "We have classes with other houses, since some house sizes aren't all that big to be a class by itself."

"I think Hufflepuff is," Oliver said. "Honestly, there all a bunch of fraidy cats, not being in Gryffindor."

"I don't understand that either," Virginia said. "I mean, the world seems perfectly safe these days. True the Hogwarts Ghosts took me by surprise last night when they all just popped out, but they're not too scary. But did you hear some of the Hufflepuff girls squeal? It was the same girls who I first sat with on the train. Well anyway, there isn't really nothing much to be 'unbrave' about. You-know-who has been gone for years and everyone knows he's gone! Then again there was that big 'explosion' that killed 13 Muggles when I was five, but that guy was put in Azkaban. BUT, then again, who feels safe knowing those awful Demental things are guarding him? My father has told me all about them. They're awful creatures that literally suck the fun out of everything. He said that they're tall and menacing and hide their faces inside hoods, but he could be making it up, seeing as he runs that stupid magazine and changed our last name to Daiquiri."

"My goodness, you talk an awful lot," Patsy Owens said, who was sitting a little ways from Virginia. "You were so quiet last night."

"_Her_ quiet?" Oliver said. Before Virginia could argue, Percy interjected.

"Oh look! Penny's coming!" Percy said as Penny wove her way through the tables to get to Gryffindor's table. She sat down next to the empty seat by Virginia and Patsy.

"Good Morning," Penny greeted. "What have you three got first?"

"Transfiguration," Percy said at once. "You?"

"Herbology," Penny replied. "How about after that?"

"History of Magic," Percy said.

"Oh. We've got Charms."

"After History of Magic _we've_ got Charms."

"Well, after Charms, _we've_ got History of Magic."

"Do we have _any_ classes together?" Virginia said. They held their schedules side by side and compared.

"Well, we have lunch!" Penny said happily.

"But this is only for today, right?" Oliver said.

"Right!" Virginia said. "Who knows? Maybe tomorrow it will be different." Suddenly, the same girls who squealed from the ghosts squealed again as hundreds of owls flew in through the windows with mail.

"Oh, that's right. I have to send my letter home," Percy said, opening his bag and taking out the scroll of parchment. Letters and packages dropped from the owls as they delivered. "Oh, where is he?"

"Who?" Penny asked.

"Errol, my family's owl," Percy said. "He hasn't been flying very well, now that he's getting old." Just then a very fat, gray owl came charging in through one of the closed windows with a few letters, packages, and a small cage with an animal inside. All the Slytherins started laughing when they saw it. Well, who wouldn't laugh at that ridiculous sight?

"Is that him?" Oliver asked, pointing up at the fat, gray bird. It kept dipping up and down, trying to glide normally. He hovered over at the end of the table and dropped a letter in front of Bill and moved down and dropped a few packages to Charlie and collapsed in front of Percy.

"Errol, are you all right?" Percy asked, lifting him upright. Errol hooted and shook himself. "You should rest in the Owlery before you go home." Percy fed him some bacon and let him sip milk from his empty cereal bowl. The small cage started squeaking.

"Is this your rat, Percy?" Penny asked, looking into the cage. A plump, fluffy gray rat was sitting peacefully in his cage and clicking his teeth. "Aww, he's kind of cute."

"If you like rats," Virginia said, moving her breakfast plate and cereal bowl away from it.

"You can go now, Errol. You know where the Owlery is," Percy said. Errol flapped his wings, but couldn't lift himself. "Come on, Errol, everyone's staring!" Errol tried again, but just couldn't lift himself into the air. Charlie got up from where he was sitting.

"You need to help him a bit, sometimes," Charlie said. He lifted up the poor gray owl gently, then chucked him upward towards the blue sky in the ceiling. Errol started flapping his wings and soon was in a nice glide out the window and towards the tower of the Owlery.

***

They had a very long first day. Even with 30 minute breaks, the day was a burden. They had all their classes, each an hour long, each only explaining what they'll be doing over the year. The only exciting parts were when each the teachers demonstrated a few things they'll be learning, but that only took a fraction of the hour. They were finally free from the dungeons of Professor Snape, a grisly, dark, and gloomy man, at 6:00 and they had very little left in the day to themselves until 9:00 for Astronomy. All the houses would be at the North Tower since everyone had Astronomy that day.

"Welcome to Astronomy, first years," a witch greeted them as they all squeezed in the balcony. "I am your teacher, Professor Sinistra."

"Good Evening, Professor Sinistra," they all greeted.

"Why, aren't you all polite little ones," Professor Sinistra said happily. "Now, in this class we will be studying the movement of the planets and the mythology behind some of the constellations. I hope you've all brought your telescopes, now find a spot on the ledge and try to find a constellation. Consult _Exploring the Night Sky _if you have trouble. I'll walk around and check on your progress." The first years scrambled around to get a spot. Percy, Oliver, Penny and Virginia found a spot together and started work.

"This is far better than what today's been," Oliver said. "We get to actually do something."

"Ugh, I hate telescopes and microscopes and any scopes!" Virginia said. "I always have trouble keeping one eye shut!"

"Just hold your hand over your other eye," Percy suggested. "I think I've found Pegasus. There's a box arrangement and…" He double-checked his book. "Yes, that's supposed to be his head."

"Oh, have you found one already?" Professor Sinistra asked as she stood behind Percy.

"Yes! I think its Pegasus!" Percy said. He moved aside so Professor Sinistra could look through his telescope.

"Well done, Mr.…"

"Weasley. Percy Weasley."

"Look here class! Mr. Weasley has already successfully located Pegasus! If you all turn your telescopes east and point it up at exactly 57º, you should be able to see him," Professor Sinistra said out loud to the class.

"*cough* Show off *cough*," a Slytherin, next to Percy, coughed as he pointed his telescope. It was Boris Bowman, the lazy Slytherin First year that drags his feet and keeps his hands in his pockets. Percy didn't say anything and tried to ignore him. Number one, Percy knew better than to talk back to those kinds of people, and Number two, Boris was much bigger than Percy was. 

"Now for a little first homework assignment," Professor Sinistra said. "I'd like you to pick out a constellation, draw it as you see it now, and correctly name each star. Now don't just trace it from the book. I'll know. 

"You still have 45 minutes, so get to work. Oh, and I'd like a picture of what the constellation is, outlined around the general shape. Color for bonus points!" The students all quickly set to work, taking out a sheet of parchment. It was too thick to use it to trace from the book anyway, so many drew Pegasus, since he's already been found.

"Is this Pegasus, Percy?" Virginia asked.

"Here let me see," Percy said, taking a look through her telescope. "Try a little more east. This is Ursa Major."

"Do I have it, Percy?" Penny asked. Percy crouched down to look through her telescope.

"Sorry, Penny. I don't think this is anything." He then turned the telescope around to find a certain constellation. "Here, look there."

"Oh," Penny said. "Silly me. Is this Pegasus?"

"No, I found you Anrdomeda. You know the myth about Andromeda?" Penny shook her head. She stood up from looking into the telescope and faced Percy.

"The Greek gods found the woman, Andromeda to be so radiant," Percy said, looking into Penny's eyes "that they put her in the stars for everyone to see."

"Oh, Percy, that's so beautiful," Penny said. They were looking at each other for quite some time, forgetting they were in Astronomy class. Oliver, who was peeking at them from the corner of his eye saw sparks fly…until…

"Yo Weasley," Boris Bowman interrupted. Percy turned around to see what stupid Boris wanted. "Did I find Pegasus right?"

"Er…let me see…" Percy said standing in front of Boris's telescope. "Yes, I think you found it all right." He tried to smile encouragingly, but frowned at Boris's mean looking face.

"How do I know it's right? What if you're lyin'?"

"I…er…I'm quite sure, that I'm correct. I wouldn't lie," Percy said, feeling his ears grow red.

"Well, what if you're lyin' for the first time? How am I supposed to know? I don't know you," Boris said.

"Look, just check your textbook! It's all right there!" Percy said, losing his patience.

"Whatever," Boris said, opening a book for the very first time [haha]. "You can go now, Weasley." Percy turned back to his telescope to find another constellation to draw for his homework.

"_He_ doesn't seem very nice," Virginia commented as she finally found Pegasus. "That's supposed to be a winged horse? I just can't see it…"

"Well, it's really just the general shape," Percy explained. "See the string of stars flowing off from the square is the wing and-"

"Yo Weasley! This is just a box! I don't see a winged horse! You didn't find it right at all!" Boris interrupted. "You tryin' to make me look stupid?"

"Just use your imagination, Boris," Percy tried to say calmly. "And look at the picture in the textbook. It's really outlined for you."

"I'm sorry, Weasley. My imagination is broken. Can you start my picture for me?" Boris said, shoving a piece of parchment and a quill into Percy's arms.

"No, I will not do your homework. They're individual assignments and-" Percy heard Boris's knuckles crack "Don't think you can intimidate me." 

"I'm just cracking my knuckles, Weasley. I can make bones crack just as well."

"Uh…uh…" Percy said, nervously looking up at Boris. "I guess it won't hurt to help you get started." Percy made the general shape and outlined a very quick head and wings and told Boris to do the rest.

"Hey, that's not too bad," Boris said. He swiped the quill from Percy and he added eyes and nostrils. "Good job, Weasley." Percy turned back and found the dog, Canis Major. He opened his bag for a leaf of parchment and quill and began drawing.

"You shouldn't have done that for him," Virginia said to Percy as she finished _her_ drawing of Pegasus. "Boris Bowman may look stupid, but he's not _that_ stupid." She dropped her voice and spoke deeply, "'I'm Boris Bowman and my imagination is broken…' Oh, give me a break!" Percy and Penny laughed as they continued their work. By the end of class, everyone had finished their homework early and were just chatting. Oliver was still hard at work, trying to get his drawing just right. Professor Sinistra announced she was going to collect their work now since practically everyone seemed to be finished. Oliver started labeling faster and kept messing up.

"Which one are you doing, Oliver?" Percy asked.

"Canis Major," Oliver said, still scribbling away. "I wish I didn't do such a hard one. This has been taking all period! There's too many stars!"

"Here, I did the same one," Percy said. "Maybe I can help." He took out his quill and started to correct Oliver's mistakes. "Here, hold mine up so I can see." Oliver held up Percy's perfect diagram of Canis Major and compared it with Oliver's. Professor Sinistra was approaching and she had just collected Boris Bowman's, who had been listening to Oliver and Percy's conversation.

"Professor Sinistra! Oliver Wood and Percy Weasley are copying off each other!" Boris Bowman shouted. Oliver snapped his head around and gave surprised look at Boris. Percy looked quite alarmed.

"What's going on, boys?" Professor Sinistra asked, also surprised with cheating students. "Were you wasting time during the period?"

"We weren't cheating!" Oliver said. He waved the parchment around. "See this one's Percy's! He's not copying off mine! It even has his name on it! Besides, look at him, Professor. Is this the face of a cheater?"

"I was just helping him," Percy said. "Honest. You _did_ say this was homework and now you're collecting it." 

"Well, you're right…Canis Major is a very complex constellation…" she said. She looked at Percy's innocent face. "You had every right to help a fellow Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley. I think I shall award you 5 points…" Boris Bowman stared in shock and his mouth hung open. "But, I do not tolerate cheating at all. Homework and class work should be individually completed unless noted otherwise. It is the student's responsibility to do his or her own work. If someone else does it for them, they'll never learn…But I understand. We all do need a little help sometimes. Good work you two." She collected their work after Oliver printed his name on it and let them go.

"Stupid Boris Bowman," Oliver said as he, Percy, Penny, and Virginia climbed down the spiral staircase of North Tower. "He tried to get us in trouble."

"He's just jealous of Percy," Virginia said. "I heard him on the platform complaining about your family and how perfect you all are." Virginia deepened her voice again. "He was all 'Those Weasleys are so perfect that it's bad for their health. Grumble grumble…' then he saw your mum kissing you good bye and he was like 'Haha…Mama's boy…' and like then I saw him kissing his mum good bye and he was practically crying. He's such a hypocrite!"

"And he's stupid," Oliver said. "Stupid and lazy, making Percy do his work."

"He's just a big bully," Penny said. "You two shouldn't let him push you around."

"He did not," Oliver said. "We were brave weren't we, Perce?"

"Er…yeah…" Percy said, looking down. "But he _was_ being a bit rude and-"

"Percy, you started his homework for him!" Virginia said. They reached the foot of the stairs and strolled down the corridor.

"I was just helping a fellow student in need," Percy said. "He didn't intimidate me."

"Yeah, and I'm not afraid of Boris Bowman one bit!" Oliver said.

"Well, you're pretty stupid," Boris Bowman said from behind them. "Now get outta my way." He pushed through between Oliver and Virginia and rushed away from them.

"You don't think he heard us, did you?" Oliver asked.

"Well, we _were_ talking about him," Percy said to them. "I'd be interested to hear what others have to say about me."

"He's not going to come to get us now, is he?" Oliver asked, sounding a little nervous. "I mean I don't think he's that stupid. He's kind of swell. I mean…"

"He's gone now, Oliver," Penny said. "No use sucking up to him now."

Soon they came to a fork in the corridor and Penny had to leave and go the other way Ravenclaw's tower.

"I've got to go this way," Penny said. She ran a little to catch up with Portia Bolkin. "Good Night, you three."

"Good Night, Penny!" Percy said, waving good-bye. He stood to watch her until she turned into another corridor.

"He's got it bad," Virginia said to Oliver.

***

"Here are your normal schedules, first years," Professor McGonagal said, handing out slips of parchment the next morning at breakfast.

"I'm going to go see if Penny has any classes with us," Virginia said, getting up and heading towards the Ravenclaw table.

"I hope so," Percy mumbled.

"Percy, if you're trying to hide something, you're no good at it," Oliver said.

"What? What do you mean?" Percy asked, pouring himself a glass of milk.

"It's clear that you've got a thing for Penelope Clearwater."

"Is it really? I honestly _just_ found this in my trunk last night," Percy said, holding up another Muggle novel. "I didn't know you knew I was going to give it to her."

"No I mean…It's just that…if you like her Percy, why don't you just admit it?"

"Excuse me, but what are you talking about!?"

"Like I said on the train, you're in denial," Oliver said. "If you won't talk, _I_ will. It's obvious that you've gotten bitten by the love bug! The way you are around her on the train, during class, oh, and especially during Astronomy! The way you looked at her, though that was pretty good with the Andromeda myth thing. She practically melted on the spot, well until stupid Bowman got in the way…" Percy was glowing red and tried to change the subject.

"I'm glad we've got Potions early in the week. Through I don't really like the professor, I do like the class…"

"Nice try, Percy," Oliver said. "But it didn't work."

"I, uh, still don't know what you're talking about…"

"Oh look, Penny's coming this way," Oliver lied.

"What? She is? Oh, where's that book I was going to give her?" Oliver was laughing.

"Don't you see where I'm coming from?" Oliver said between laughs.

Percy gave up. He couldn't deny it any longer. "Well, now that it's out in the open…"

"Dearie, it's _been_ out in the open!" Lucille McGillian said, two seats away from Percy. "Virginia just wouldn't stop gossiping about it last night! My goodness, when Patsy said she was quiet yesterday morning, she sure did a good job at being loquacious!"

"What else did she say?" Percy asked, a little annoyed that even Virginia was talking about it. "She does _indeed_ talk a lot."

"An awful lot! Virginia Mary is such a riot!" Patsy Owens said.

"She has something to say about anything,"' Henrietta Newbourne added.

"And she knows something about everything!" said Lucille.

"But she knows when to stop," said Patsy.

"She really can tell when you get bored with her," Lucille added.

"She doesn't want to be known as a boring person," said Henrietta.

"But she's still fun just the same," sad Patsy.

"Just don't talk about her sister, Margarita," said Lucille.

"She really hates her," said Patsy.

"But she likes her little sister," said Henrietta. "What was her name?"

"Luna," said Lucille. "But it's so funny that her last name is always changing."

"Is that even legal?" Patsy asked.

"I don't know. I think that's what she was looking up in the Ministry book the other day," said Henrietta.

"She sure does rub off on her peers," Percy said to Oliver as the three other Gryffindor girls continued chatting.

"It's just girls, Perce," Oliver said.

"Please don't call me that. I am not a woman's hand bag," Percy replied.

"Whatever you say, Perce," Oliver said, laughing. Virginia returned with good news.

"We've got Herbology and Potions together!" Virginia said. "But that's just for today. Tomorrow we've got Defenese Against the Dark Arts with Slytherin. Then I compared schedules with Kat Candor of Hufflepuff and it turns out that the rest of our classes are with them since their class is so big and we're so small. They're a really big group when they're paired with either Ravenclaw or Slytherin. McGonagal says they're abnormally sized and she can't understand why the First Years for Gryffindor were so small this year. Then I said to her that there were an awful lot of Fraidy Cat boys in our year and she laughed and said she has high hopes for you two. Then I told her that you're afraid of Bully Bowman and you really weren't brave at all and-"

"You what?!?" Percy and Oliver both said at the same time.

"We're not scared of Boris at all!" Oliver said.

"You're still being stupid, Wood," Boris Bowman said as he passed behind them. Oliver froze and didn't dare to turn around.

"Don't worry, Oliver," Virginia said. "We've only got one class with Slytherin. And besides, you have four brave girls to protect you."

***

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Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I really have high hopes for this story and I'd like to continue it! Have a Magical Day! ºoº


	5. Soup and Charms

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So sorry for such a late update! School started on September 4th and the three weeks before that I had to do a Chemistry packet, a math packet, and summer reading! And then school finally started and, heavens to betsy! My first chemistry homework was a review of last year and it was a calculations notebook of over 100 problems!!! And I stayed afterschool a lot for first club meetings and then homework and then naps because of sleep deprivation since I have to wake up at 6:00 every morning since school starts so darned early! Then more homework more homework! GAAAHHHH!!!!! It's officially been more than a month since the last update and I am very very sorry that this is so late. I FINALLY have no homework and so I have time to finish this chapter. I had to reread my stories to remember what happened so this is Chapter 5 and it's late additions. Hope you enjoy and next time I'll probably won't post for a while until a free weekend or vacation.

****

Chapter 5: Soup and Charms

A few weeks have passed since the start of school and the season of Autumn is blooming all around. The days have already begun to grow shorter and the nights grew a bit longer. The deciduous trees in the Dark Forest have begun to shed dry, brown leaves, while some bright red and orange ones clung dearly as the breeze blew.

The students of Hogwarts School have now settled into school mode of classes and homework, and the first years are no longer mystified by the mass of owls at breakfasts, the talking portraits, the ghosts living as if they weren't dead, and magic around the corner. In the classroom, Percy Weasley had lived up to his image of a studious student, leaving many Ravenclaws wondering why he wasn't in their House.

"Do any of you remember from the assigned reading homework how the precise wand movements when transfiguring solids into liquids?" Professor McGonagal asked at the start of class. Percy, Virginia, and Patrick Portabello of Hufflepuff had their hands raised. Many of the other students quietly took out their textbooks and turned to the chapter about wand waving. "Anyone? Anyone at all?" Virginia waved her hand to try and get McGonagal to notice. Henrietta put up her own hand.

"Ah, yes. Miss Newbourne?"

"Virginia Mary has her hand up," Henrietta said.

"Yes, I can see that, Miss Newbourne," Professor McGonagal said. "I was just hoping to hear a different voice than hers for a change."

"Well then, Percy and Patrick know the answer too," Henrietta replied.

"Miss Newbourne, I do have eyes. Perhaps I wasn't clear," McGonagal said, looking stern. "I would like to know if anyone else besides the usual three had read last night's homework assignment. Since you have a keen eye, Miss Newbourne, I'd like you to tell me what you saw last night when you looked at your book." Henrietta grew red.

"Merton Graves," she mumbled. Most of the class started to laugh.

"Merton who? What does that have to do with Transfiguration?"

"Well you asked me what I saw in my book and I was reading about the Weird Sisters. Merton Graves plays cello, you know." Professor McGonagal sighed and rolled her eyes.

"As I can see, it seems you first years have not yet realized the seriousness of this class. It is either you all are too shy to speak, do not understand the reading, or did not do it at all. Judging from your behavior during meals, I can truly deny that you are all quiet. More hands should be up if you have any questions." She paused to see if the students would respond. No one did. "I see that we are still not mature enough to continue doing magic in this class. I am afraid I have to cease from permitting you to use your wands during Transfiguration anymore."

"But, professor!"

"You can't!"

"We've just started the good stuff!"

"I honestly did read it! It was just so boring and complex, I fell asleep!"

"Yeah, me too!"

"Me three!"

"Professor McGonagal, please! You mustn't!"

"I am sorry," McGonagal said with a sense of seriousness in her voice. "But you must earn your chance by doing your homework! I don't know how much I must impress upon you the dangers of mistakes in this class! You all must be properly disciplined, like your fellow classmates Mr. Weasley, Portabello, and Miss Lovegood. I will not spoon-feed you the information you should already know. Open your textbooks and read silently. This is the last time I'm letting us waste class time to do homework! I am taking away 10 points away from Hufflepuff and 5 points away from Gryffindor." 

"That's not fair! Why do they get less?" Philip Wilkens asked.

"More of them followed directions, so I see they earn less punishment."

"But there's only 6 of them!" said Kat Candor.

"Quiet! No more talking!" All the students obediently opened their textbooks and read to themselves quietly. Percy and Patrick got out their textbooks to read the assignment over again. Virginia still had her hand up. After a few more minutes, Henrietta Newbourne got up from her desk and went over to Professor McGonagal.

"Yes, Miss Newbourne? Something you don't understand?" Professor McGonagal asked without looking up.

"Virginia has her hand up," Henrietta blurted. She then quickly sprinted back to her seat.

Trying very hard to look calm, Minerva McGonagal looked Virginia straight in the eye and said, "Miss Daiquiri-Lovegood, what is it now?"

"I was just thinking, Professor," Virginia started. She took a deep breath. "Why do you have to make most of my classmates read again an assignment that was indeed boring to them and cause them to fall asleep in the classroom. Why bother wasting time to let them sleep? I think it would be much more worthwhile if I just told them what the chapter was about, since they seemed to have missed the point and will miss it again if they do it on their own."

"Miss Lovegood, that is an entirely horrible idea," the professor replied. Virginia frowned. "It was your classmates' responsibility to do the work. It was their responsibility to ask questions. And, our textbook is not boring at all! It is one of the best manuscripts explaining-"

"I know Professor!" Virginia said. "But I really do want to help!"

"Miss Lovegood, I do not want you taking responsibility for your classmates' foolish actions. Now please keep quiet and get back to work." A good 15 minutes passed before Virginia was whispering to Patsy Owens, who was sitting next to her. Patsy picked her head up and looked around the room like a submarine checking for sunken treasure. She giggled when she saw that half the class was half-asleep. Patsy leaned over to tell Percy, who had just finished reading the proper technique of bending the wrist.

"Look around! Everyone's asleep!" Patsy whispered, giggling. Percy turned his head and looked in front of him and behind him. Almost everyone seemed to be drifting off. He turned to tell Oliver, who interrupted Percy with a loud snore. Patsy couldn't take it and burst out laughing.

"Miss Owens, what seems to be the problem?" Professor McGonagal asked, standing up from her seat. Patsy couldn't stop laughing and Virginia stood up. 

"As you can see, Professor, many of us _did_ fall into unconsciousness due to a boring chapter," said Virginia. "We've wasted a good fifteen…no wait…sixteen minutes and 3 seconds."

"Miss Lovegood, since you feel you know it so well, why don't you teach Transfiguration for the remainder of today's class time?" Professor McGonagal said, looking like this would shut Virginia up. Though she was quite wrong, for Virginia was beaming.

"You mean it? Oh this is going to be so exciting!" She took her wand out from her bag and rushed to the chalkboard. "Oh thank you, Professor! Thank you! This has truly made my day!" Professor McGonagal just looked at her in complete surprise. Everyone was awake now. 

"You're not serious, are you?" Percy asked. "Professor, she's a student! She can't-"

"Okay, class! I want everyone to please take out your wand," Virginia said, ignoring Percy. All the students obeyed. "Did you say something, Percy? Are you volunteering? How very kind of you! Please come up here with a solid object. Oh, your wand will do." Percy looked at her like she lost her marbles. Virginia _was_ serious. Percy looked at McGonagal and she nodded, saying she lost control now. Percy got up from his seat, went down the aisle, and stood next to Virginia. "Now Percy, I understand that _you_ understand that you know how do this properly. Please, set a good example."

"Aren't _you_ supposed to be teaching?"

"Oh right! Wait right there!" Virginia said. She grabbed the chalk off the ledge and wrote down instructions, muttering to herself. "Bend wrist…then you twist and….then you have to…right…voilá! Now Percy, demonstrate what I have just written on the board!"

"I never thought of it like that," Percy said after reading what Virginia wrote. Anxious whispers floated around the room as the students wondered what their substitute teacher wrote.

"Why, Miss Lovegood, how very clever!" McGonagal said, smiling. "Please, Mr. Weasley, proceed."

Percy gripped his wand firmly bent his wrist forward, waved his wand towards him in a C-motion, twisted his wrist around, and flicked it in the air.

"Well done, Percy! That's correct!" Virginia said. "Now I want you all to copy down the instructions! Remember, you can also use this technique for most charms and curses!"

"We can't see it. It's too small," Philip said. McGonagal used a nifty charm to resize the writing. Everyone copied it down.

"So that's what 'a curvature of the wrist' means," Oliver said, writing down the second line.

"Now let's all practice! Everyone, wands ready! I'll tell you what to do again out loud," Virginia said. She put her own wand up and stood as if she was about to conduct an orchestra. "One, two, three…Wand in the hand, bending the wrist. Swish a 'C' in the air, and flick with a twist!"

"Wand in the hand, bending the wrist. Swish a 'C' in the air, and flick with a twist!" the class repeated together, perfectly waving their wands.

"Let's practice a little more," Virginia said. "Make sure you do the C motion!" After a while, everyone had it right.

"Now let's see if that's exactly right," Virginia said. "Percy hand me your wand." Percy handed it to her and she laid it on McGonagal's desk. She swished and flicked and muttered, "_Hydrogenite Wand!_" A small puddle replaced Percy's wand. "I did it! It worked!"

"MY WAND!" Percy shouted. The rest of the class all clapped for Virginia.

"_Solidify: Wand!_" Virginia said, using the same wrist movement. The puddle of water straightened into a miniscule river then froze into a rod of ice and returned to its normal wooden state.

"My wand!" Percy said happily. The class, including Professor McGonagal, applauded again. Suddenly the bell rang.

"Oh my! Where did the time go?" McGonagal said.

"Now those spells are in the next chapter! Read ahead carefully and come prepared tomorrow!" Virginia said over the mad rush of packing bags and grabbing books.

"Well done, Miss Lovegood! You've certainly taken me by surprise! I award you five points!" Professor McGonagal said as Virginia erased the chalkboard. "If you ever would like to teach again for extra credit, please be my guest!"

"Thanks Professor, but I don't think I will," Virginia said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if you hadn't assigned such a boring chapter reading, the girls in my dormitory wouldn't have fallen asleep. Then the dormitory wouldn't be so quiet and I wouldn't have been able to read ahead and think of nifty lesson plans!"

***

"That was fantastic, Virginia!" Oliver said as they walked to Defense Against the Dark Arts. "How did you think of such a brilliant lesson?"

"Soup and charms," Virginia answered.

"Soup and charms?" Percy said, looking at her again like she lost her marbles.

"Well I borrowed the rhyme from the saying of how to eat soup. _Spoon in the hand, bend in the wrist, into the bowl, and out with a twist!_ That's what I was thinking while I was reading last night's homework. My mother makes the best tomato soup! Well anyway, Patsy and Lucy fell asleep and Henrietta was so absorbed in that book about the Weird Sisters, so they were all quiet and I could think and read better. That's when I figured out what the chapter was about and then I remembered the swish and flick from Charms. I said to myself, 'Hey, it's basically the same technique!' and then I was like, 'It's also kind of the way to eat soup!' so I put it together and prepared it to share with class in case anyone didn't understand. Then I wanted to read ahead to find out more! It was so quiet and I had nothing else to do anyway."

"Soup and charms…" Oliver said, shaking his head. "Who'd have thunk?"

"It's 'thought,' Oliver," Percy corrected.

"Yeah whatever," Oliver said. They reached Quirrel's classroom and took their seats. The three other Gryffindor girls had arrived as well and congratulated Virginia on a job well done.

"That was a totally awesome lesson!" said Patsy.

"You've given McGonagal a run for her money!" said Lucille.

"You have to teach us again!" said Henrietta.

"Virginia, you're such a riot!" said Patsy.

"Will you help me with tonight's homework?" asked Henrietta.

"We should do it ourselves! It's our responsibiliy!" said Lucille.

"Yeah, Henrietta! Virginia needs to prepare for next lesson!" said Patsy.

"Oh, don't worry, Henrietta! I'll be glad to help!" said Virginia. "Where help is needed, I'm there!"

"Good, then you can help me finish last night's homework," said Boris, as he approached the small crowd of Gryffindors. "Here. Just tell Percy the answers. He knows my handwriting better than I do." He shoved a sheet of parchment with a list of questions into Percy's arms.

"Boris, it was your responsibility to do the homework!" said Lucille. "You shouldn't rely on Virginia to do it for you!"

"Yeah! It was your responsibility!" said Oliver.

"Did I say you could speak, Wood?" said Boris.

"No," said Oliver weakly. He then retreated to his seat and pondered why he wasn't put in Hufflepuff.

"I'm not doing your homework, Boris," said Percy. "It's your problem, not mine."

"What if I make a new problem for you? I told Pomfrey to save you a bed at the Hospital Wing already," Boris said, pulling up his sleeves. His Slytherin friends snickered behind him. Percy was sick and tired of Boris's threats, which he has been experiencing since their first week at Hogwarts. What did Percy do to him anyway?

"Good thing then! Just tell her I'm not coming when I send you there!" said Percy, standing up from his feet. Everyone around Percy was surprised with his sudden bravery. So was Percy.

"Well…go ahead!" said Boris, a little less menacingly.

"What's the commotion? Settle down, please. We have much to do," said Professor Quirrell as he entered the classroom from his office.

"You better watch your back, Weasley. 'Cause next time you might not get so lucky," Boris muttered as he headed to the back of the room to his seat.

"Now I hope you all read Chapter 3:_ Proper Wand Movements for Defensive Spells_," said Quirrell. "Who can demonstrate using the shielding spell?"

__

Here we go again, The Gryffindors thought when no one volunteered.

***

At lunch that day, the Slytherin First years looked scornfully at the Gryffindor table. Quirrell had awarded Virginia 25 points for her teaching in class that day. He took 5 points away from Slytherin because Kalvin Clein wouldn't obey the substitute teacher.

"So we were passing a herd of cows," said Lucille. "And my little brother started babbling about-"

"They're still staring at us," interrupted Patsy as she quickly glanced across the Great Hall.

"Oh, they'll get over it," said Virginia.

"Why don't they just quit staring? Are they trying to intimidate us?"

"I'm going to find out," said Percy, he got up from his seat and made way to walk to the Slytherin's.

"What do you think you're doing?!" said Oliver, grabbing Percy's arm to stop him. "Are you mad? You're willfully going to the speak with the Slytherins?!?"

"I can take care of myself," said Percy. Oliver, Virginia, Patsy, Henrietta, and Lucy all watched. The Slytherin table was so far from them that they couldn't hear what any of them were saying. Suddenly, they heard the Slytherins laugh as Percy, his face glowing its usual red, returned to the Gryffindor table.

"What happened? What'd they say? What are they up to?" Virginia asked, bombarding Percy with questions.

"They wouldn't tell me," Percy said as he took his seat.

"Why'd they all laugh?" asked Lucille.

"It's nothing. They're just being stupid," said Percy, taking a roast beef sandwich from the platter.

"So what was it about the bunch of cows?" Henrietta asked Lucille, returning to their original conversation..

"No, it's herd," said Percy.

"Heard what?" asked Henrietta.

"Herd of cows," said Percy.

"Of course I've heard of cows! Lucy was just talking about them."

"No, a cow _herd_."

"A cow heard what? What do I care about what a cow heard? I've got no secrets from a cow!"

[A/N: Joke courtesy of Archie Comics]

"No! No! No! You incorrectly said a "bunch of cows" and the term is a "herd of cows" like a "pride of lions" or a "streak of tigers"! A herd of cows! Herd of cows!" 

"Goodness, you don't have to get so angry!" said Henrietta, shocked by Percy's outburst.

"I'm not angry! I'm perfectly content! I'm not angry!" said Percy.

"Mr. Weasley, are you all right?" asked Professor Quirrel, as he was passing by.

"Yes! I-am-fine! Why does everyone suddenly care about my well being? I'm not angry!!" said Percy.

"Er…all right. Ahem, you better eat some lunch…or, something," said Quirrel, scurrying back to the staff table.

"Percy, what did Boris say to you?" Virginia asked. "Obviously it ticked you off."

"It's nothing. I need to go to the library," said Percy, stuffing half of the roast beef sandwich in his mouth and leaving abruptly.

***

The problem with Percy is that he turned mole hills into mountains. He makes stress for himself by pondering too long on things. The library was always the one place he could find solace.

__

They're just being stupid. It's good that I'm brave. There's nothing funny about that. They're just being stupid, thought Percy as he walked down the corridor to the library. _I _am_ brave anyhow. It wasn't a pity sorting. I am brave. The sorting hat knows what's best for everyone. It's never wrong. Nope, never. I'm brave…I'm brave…I'm br-_

"Ooooph!!" someone cried as Percy smacked into someone as he turned the corner. It was Portia Bolkin of Ravenclaw. "Are you alright?"

"Sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going," said Percy. He started to leave.

"Hey, aren't you Penny's boyfriend? I mean, you're her friend that's a boy," said Portia. Percy blushed at the thought of being Penny's boyfriend.

"Yes, you know her?"

"She's my best friend. She's my roommate too," said Portia. "She talks about you almost all the time."

"She does?" said Percy, leaning against the wall, waiting to hear more about Penelope.

"And she says how smart you are and everything. We both wonder why you're not in Ravenclaw," said Portia.

"Well, the Sorting Hat is never wrong," said Percy.

"It was nice meeting you," said Portia, shaking Percy's hand. "Well, bye."

"Bye," said Percy. He then continued down to the library and started thinking again. _Maybe the Sorting Hat was wrong. Maybe it's been wrong before. Maybe it was a pity sorting and put me in Gryffindor because it knew there weren't many boys left. Maybe, maybe…I don't know…_

"Good afternoon, Percy," greeted Madam Pince, the librarian. "What are we researching today? This book on the art of dragon manicures was just returned."

"Thank you, Madam Pince, but actually, I was thinking about reading about the Sorting Hat," said Percy, feeling he had to see if it has ever steered a student wrong.

"The Sorting Hat? Why would you want to read about that?" she asked.

"I was just…"

"…wondering if you'd been sorted in the right house? Well it has never steered a student wrongly. I know that. There have never been any students or parents or teachers or anyone who've complained about where they were sorted. First years always get the feeling anyhow. If you want a book still, you can find it in the section on Hogwarts books."

"Thank you," said Percy, heading to the section of shelves dedicated to books written about Hogwarts and books by past Hogwarts professors and headmasters and head mistresses. "Ahem…arrange by subject, please." The magic bookshelf suddenly shuddered and the books started flying to new spots on the shelf from the previous spots of arrangement by author. "_The Sorting Hat…The Sorting Hat, Edition Two…The Sorting Hat, Edition Three…_my goodness, there are a lot!" Percy skipped down the row of books all virtually the same color, but different sizes. _The Sorting Hat, Edition Eight_ was much skinnier compared to _The Sorting Hat, Edition Seventy-four_, which was the biggest. The last book at the end of the row looked the newest. It was _The Sorting Hat, Edition Ninety-nine_. Percy took it off the shelf and browsed for more books. "_The Origins of the Sorting Hat…The Hat of Sorting…Loyalists or Leftovers? A Guide for Distressed Hufflepuffs_, by the Sorting Hat. I didn't know it could write books…_Sorting Magical Cabbages…_now why on earth would you do that? _A Hogwarts Students' Guide to the Sorting Hat_…that should be good." Percy carefully stacked the heavy books in his arms and staggered to a table. _The Sorting Hat, Edition Ninety-nine_ was just a listing of the currently enrolled students at Hogwarts and a history of the houses and the sorting. _The Origins of the Sorting Hat_ was just an extensive biography of the Sorting Hat. _The Hat of Sorting_ was a voluminous analysis of the methods of the Sorting Hat. Percy was immersed in this book for the entire lunch period and only stopped reading it once the bell rang.

"Why go through the trouble of reading these when I just told you that the hat has never been wrong," said Madam Pince as she stamped the due date on the slips in the books. "They're due the 17th…Just don't let this extra research get the way of your homework."

***

"Are you all right Percy? You were awfully quiet during Flitwick's free period," said Oliver that night in the common room. "What's that you're reading?"

"A book," Percy replied, not looking up. His eyes raced from side to side as he read the pages.

"Well, of course it's a book! I meant what are you reading about?"

"The Sorting."

"Sorting of what?" Oliver asked. "Socks? Leeches?"

"Ewwww," said Patsy from behind him.

"Sorting of students of course," said Lucille, two chairs away. "It's obvious that Percy is afraid he was put in the wrong house."

"Percy, you are _not_ in the wrong house. The Sorting Hat is _never_ wrong," said Charlie.

"It's like weathermen," said Virginia, "…no wait, bad example…The hat is definitely not like weathermen. The hat's like…umm…something that's never wrong?"

"You're worrying over nothing, Percy," said Charlie. "You've always seemed to be like a true Gryffindor ever since you were little."

"And besides…if the Sorting Hat ever _was_ wrong, you won't find any book here at Hogwarts that says so," said Lucille. With that said, Percy stopped reading. Lucille was right. Hogwarts wouldn't have anything that conflicts with the school's prinicples. They have no written records of the employment of House Elves. They wouldn't have records of the wrongs of the Sorting Hat.

"I don't think you were put in the wrong house, Percy," said Henrietta. "You're very brave to me."

"Yeah! You even confronted the Slytherins on your own," said Patsy.

"And you're not afraid of Boris…sometimes," said Oliver.

"You were fated to be a Gryffindor," said Virginia. "Had you been in any other house, the world would fall a part. And Oliver would be left here all alone."

***

__

Heheheh (nervous laughter)…as you can see, this story was not posted a month since the last update. Actually, (hehe) it's been umm…3 or 4 months. I'm very sorry, but I've been very busy with school. I hope you like this chapter and don't fret! This story has not been forgotten. I started this one right by outlining the story (well most of it) before hand so I wouldn't get enormous writer's blocks. Keep on waiting for updates and thank you for reading!


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